The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIII
More amusing than funny, which seems to be the trend with more recent Halloween episodes. Each of the three segments (four, if you count the opening) offered a few chuckles ("Cinnamon!" drew the biggest laugh from me, and I also enjoyed Homer's 42 minute morning pee) but the audible laughs were pretty sparse. Of the three, "Bart and Homer's Excellent Adventure" was probably my favorite; I'm a sucker for a good Back to the Future homage (lack of any connection to Halloween notwithstanding), and I appreciated the effort put into recreating the setting of season two's "The Way We Was".
Other Thoughts
Fox apparently turned Sunday into a pseudo-Halloween theme night (Family Guy and American Dad didn't participate) because of upcoming baseball preemptions. Yet apparently there will be new episodes in two weeks, on the 21st of October. I'm all in favor of airing the Halloween episodes before Halloween, and if the first Sunday of October is the only night they can do that, fine. But if the 21st is open, why not air the Halloween episodes then?
Some nice visual touches throughout, like the aforementioned recreation of a past episode and Marge and Lisa's pearls hovering whenever they got near the black hole in the first segment.
Moe's Head: Man, soccer is even boring for the ball!
Homer: Lisa, do you have a stray dog down there?
Lisa: It’s a lot worse than a stray dog.
Homer: “Two stray dogs?
Bart: It’s Homer, before his boobs came in!
Past Homer: What happened? Was I in a forest fire or something?
Bob's Burgers: Full Bars
While the plot with Bob and Linda at Teddy's party was pretty standard fare (which is still pretty funny), with Bob doing his usual "resist the strangeness surrounding his life" routine, the plot involving the kids trick-or-treating antics was transcendental, featuring some of the show's best material yet.
Other Thoughts
The kids joy at receiving full bars on the rich people's island ("How does this not topple your economy?!?") was spot-on; I remember one house in our neighborhood growing up that did the same thing, and to a nine year old on Halloween, a full bar was the Holy Grail.
All three of the kids had some hilarious moments, particularly Louise controlling teen boys with a cell phone, but Gene easily wins the night with some fantastic one liners (and a delightfully bizarre costume).
Gene: Mmmm. Taco on the toilet. Why doesn’t everyone do this? AGHHH!
Family Guy: Ratings Guy
So Family Guy either never got the "tonight's a Halloween theme night" or didn't care, because this episode obviously has nothing to do with the holiday. There's a lot humor to be mined both from the ridiculousness of the Nielsen system and the Griffins becoming a Nielsen household, and there's also a lot of relevant points that could be made about the current TV industry. The end result in this episode is a bit scattershot, with any intended commentary ending up unclear and the jokes going to some odd places. Not terrible or anything, but it didn't quite live up to its potential.
Other Thoughts
The opening act at the fire station was really strong, with a ton of great gags, like the cops/firemen feud. I also (not surprisingly) liked Peter's idea to liven up Mad Men with lightsabers and Kiss.
Of the various cutaways, the one about NBA players just wanting someone to cuddle while away from their wives was easily the best.
American Dad: Killer Vacation
American Dad also didn't get the Halloween memo, not surprising given its production schedule. Instead, we get a fairly basic vacation episode that did a surprisingly good job of giving everyone (even Jeff and Haley!) a reasonably funny, complete story. The main Stan/Francine plot was standard sitcom fare, livened up by the extremes of Stan's job (with the dolphin shooting and suicidal lemur being the highlights of the episode), the Steve plot was random and bizarre and probably the most purely funny in its escalation, Roger was Roger, and hey! Haley and Jeff had a plot!
Once Upon a Time: We Are Both
Last week made it clear this show is embracing its fantasy elements, and this episode makes it clear it's embracing it's Lost roots, with a traditional Fairyback accompanying a thematically-resonant plot in Storybrooke, sidelining one whole setting and group of characters (present day Fairy Tale Land) in the process, presumably saving them for next episode, when a different group will take the backseat. This sort of narrative flexibility served Lost well (it was one of the few things that, at the end, didn't bother me about the show) and I think OUAT can benefit greatly from the technique.
Other Thoughts
Interesting both that Mr. Gold's "please" clause no longer works and that he was seemingly unaware that he'd be unable to leave Storybrooke with his memories intact after the curse broke.
I hope that Regina's desire for redemption is genuine; I'd like to see the show add some dimensions to her this season.
Is the Enchanted Forest the official name of Fairy Tale Land, or just the, um, forested part of it and/or the chunk that remains?
Nice speech by Charming at the town's border.
Where'd Pinocchio go?
Regina: I will not listen to childcare lectures from a man who put his daughter in a box and shipped her to Maine.
How I Met Your Mother: Nannies
While it was nice to spend some extended time with Marshall and Lily for the first time this season, (and get a good look at how they're balancing hanging out with the gang and caring for a baby), the whole "search for a nanny" plot was a pretty basic sitcom trope, the kind of story every show that just introduced a new baby will eventually do. And I would still call out the predictability of Lily's dad ultimately becoming Marvin's nanny even if I liked Chris Elliot in the role, and wasn't disappointed in the fact that we'll probably be seeing more of him...
Other Thoughts
I appreciated that Barney's "Bangtoberfest" was shown from the start to be a hollow gesture on Barney's part and not a true reversion of his character, giving us the best of both worlds: we can enjoy his antics without being bothered by a sudden character turn.
The Ted/Robin plot was highly amusing, especially Ted's lying about Victoria's parents being dead and Robin quickly calling him on it (possibly the funniest moment of the episode), but I think it's odd that SagetTed referred to their competition as one between exes; at this point, let alone in SagetTed's future, I feel like Robin and Ted are so much more than just "exes", and their competition could easily be framed as one between two friends in new relationships. Also, despite all of SagetTed's warnings, I'm still sad that the show apparently brought Victoria back just to have her pop up on the fringes of a few episodes and then leave.
The bit with George and Morgen Jorgenson’s Organs, with their Oregon satellite store Piano Town, was also hilarious, and not just because I'm from Minnesota and know all too well the ever-presence of Scandinavian names around here.
Revolution: The Plague Dogs
Give this show credit: I really didn't think it had the stones to kill off a seemingly main character this early in it's run, but I'm glad it did. It's a further indication that this show knows what it's doing, and while it's still finding its footing, a plot turn like that gives me even more confidence it eventually will do so. Also, while I cared very little for Maggie in the preceding episodes, this one did a pretty decent job of making me care just enough about her character to feel saddened by her death. The depiction of her death, as she flashed back surreally to reading to her kids, was a little touching, something I would have doubted was possible last week.
Other Thoughts
Miles' "I'm going to leave now" this episode seemed especially forced; I honestly hope this is the last time the show plays that particularly card, because we know Billy Burke isn't going anywhere, and his constant waffling is already tiresome.
Aside from the two quick flashes that showed Juliet ending up with the militia (willingly! Shocker!), the rest of the flashbacks were entirely character-driven, making us care about Maggie before she died. I'm always going to prefer flashbacks that inform both character and plot, but occasional character-centric one like that are good.
One bit of world-building we did get from the flashback: all the steamboats were taken apart for lumber or confiscated/destroyed by the militia.
Look, we all knew Danny was going to save Captain Neville's life, because this isn't the first episode ot TV we've watched, but it was still a pretty dumb move on his part.
Last Resort: Blue on Blue
I'm still not entirely sure I buy the premise of the show, as the socio-political implications of Marcus' move seem almost too big to credibly handle, but it seems like the producers are determined to make an effort to sell it. Meanwhile, the characters did a lot of telling (especially through recorded video messages), making it very clear how they feel about important things, but that's probably okay for the second episode of a series (it'll be more worrying if it continues). I did enjoy how the episode featured a specific "plot of the week" that could be introduced and resolved within the running time, while also furthering the larger arcs. It'll be interesting to see how long it can keep that up, given the somewhat limited setting/premise.
Other Thoughts
I'm down with the arc of the Navy SEAL becoming a reluctant good guy (it's a standard arc, but one for which I'm a sucker); his bartender's poor man Yoda routine is already getting old, though. I honestly have no idea what the hell she was saying through the most of the episode, because it was all vaguely philosophical mumbo jumbo.
The infiltrating special forces team turning out to be Russian (and thus totally okay to kill without any qualms) was a total copout, but it did give Marcus an opportunity to Andre Braugher the hell out of that Russian guy.
Also, I suspect the fact that the Assistant Secretary of Defense is now the SOD might be tied in with the political upheaval going on in Washington at which the pilot hinted, and thus might be tied in with the larger arc of the show. If so, that was a nicely subtle moment.
30 Rock: Governor Dunston
Did last week's episode, in which Liz agreed to join Jack in his attempt to tank NBC, ever address the issue of how, in doing so, Liz is putting herself out of a job (a job she more or less enjoys)? Because I spent a good chunk of this week's episode wondering about that. Not that 30 Rock, like The Simpsons, is terribly concerned with continuity/consistency, especially if it gets in the way of a good joke, but that seems like a pretty big thing to address.
Other Thoughts
All the political material was pretty strong, both on the surface and meta levels, as was the Liz/Criss material, with their office supply store tryst, capped off by the line "what do you think this is, Office Max?", eliciting the biggest laugh of the night from me.
Catherine O'Hara (who really can do no wrong) and Bryan Cranston did what they could to make me enjoy a Kenneth plot, and I wouldn't mind seeing either return, plus, they helped keep Jenna to a reasonably-entertaining level this week.
Pearline: You remember that kid in school who bullied you? Well I ate that goat.
Governor Dunston: There are nine types of legitimate rape. Number one: a Halloween party...
Parks and Recreation: How a Bill Becomes a Law
This was exactly the kind of story Parks and Rec should be telling now that Leslie is in a position to actually effect policy: one in which she struggles to reconcile her idealism with the gritty (and petty) realities of politics, even on as small a scale as the city council. I'd worry about how many such stories the series can tell before that conflict gets old (or before Leslie's idealism wears down), but Parks and Rec has given me no reason to doubt it yet. And if this season wants to be about Leslie doing her best to not only improve the city but the city's impression of government, well, that should be fun to watch.
Other Thoughts
More Ron is always a good thing, and it'll be interesting to see him involved with a relatively normal woman with two normal girls.
It's amazing how hard Aubrey Plaza can make me laugh without saying anything. Her look as Ben read some of his Star Trek fan fiction was one of the funniest things, ever.
Also hilarious? Andy singing the "sitting in a tree" song and morphing his spelling of "kissing" into the end of "Mississippi".
Saturday Night Live: Daniel Craig & Muse
The thing that stuck out to me the most in this episode was how many original sketches there were. There were no recurring sketches, no game shows, and no talk shows. Heck even "Weekend Update" didn't feature appearances from any of its recurring characters. Not all the sketches were winners (on the whole this was a pretty middling episode), but I have to applaud the effort. Free from the yoke of Kristen Wiig and her innumerable recurring characters, it's a trend I'd love to see continue throughout the season.
Other Thoughts
Last season, it seemed like Vanessa Bayer was poised to fill the vacancy left by Wiig, and become the show's go-to female cast member, but now it's starting to look like she might be eclipsed by Cecily Strong, who has been given a lot of work over the first three episodes and excelled in most of it.
Daniel Craig, who seemed like an odd choice to host, did okay. He stumbled on some lines in at least one sketch, and it was clear the writers weren't quite sure what to do with him, but he gave it his all.
"Weekend Update" had a lot of fun with Obama's poor showing at the debate, including a fantastic "Winners and Losers". Big Bird's appearance wasn't all that funny, but come on; it's was effing Big Bird. That was pretty awesome in and of itself.
The Bond Girls sketch was a nice way to do the inevitable James Bond bit, and featured some pretty great impressions (especially Bayer's Diane Keaton and Strong's spot-on Ellen Degeneres). I also really enjoyed the various fake movie names ("Never Die Twice Tomorrow"), and by having Daniel Craig actually play Bond in some of the clips, it kind of felt like we were seeing scenes from an actual unreleased Bond film.
Favorite Sketch: I laughed way more than I should have at Daniel Craig as a construction worker who sucks at catcalling, and I also enjoyed "A Sorry Lot We Are", despite Craig's flubbing, just for poking fun at all the British stereotypes, like the good ("fish pie, with jam") and all the businesses which closed down, including, finally, Blockbuster.
Least Favorite Sketch: The one with Kirby, the guy on the spaceship who misses his kitty. It was one repeated joke, and not even that funny of one.
Episodes Featuring a Game Show: 0/3
Episodes Featuring a Talk Show: 2/3
Episodes with a Monologue Featuring a Song: 1/3
I'm so glad you turned us on to Bob's Burger. It's definitley the winner every Sunday night, followed by American Dad.
ReplyDeleteMostly Family Guy just made me wish i was a Neilsen family, so i could have control over ratings to help keep my fav shows on TV.
We've only watched the first two episodes of Revolution and i'm thinking we may already be done with it. And i've got all of Last Resort DVRd, but we haven't given them a shot yet.
Are you watching Elementary?
@Sarah: I'm glad I was able to turn you on to Bob's Burgers. It really is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to be a Nielsen family. Not only would it help my favorite shows, but I'd totally screw with it by, like, leaving the Weather Channel on all night while I sleep.
Revolution is getting steadily better; the third episode was better than the second, and the fourth, if not better, was at least as good, and next week looks like it could be the "now you've hooked me" episode every show like this needs (a la "Walkabout" w/Lost, or the episode of Heroes where Future Hiro showed up for the first time).
So you might want to stick it out at least until then. Last Resort is good, and has potential, and Andre Braugher is awesome, but I'm liking Revolution more, so far.
We're watching Elementary, in that we watched the pilot and have the rest recorded. It seems more like a case-of-the-week show a la Castle, so I'm less compelled to keep up with it than I am other more serialized shows, but I'm a Sherlock Holmes buff and enjoyed the pilot, so we'll be watching it, even if I don't write about it every week.
I was really hoping for some jokes on Family Guy about how antiquated the Nielsen system is in this day and age, but sadly, we got nothing. So I was a little disappointed by that.
ReplyDeleteSteve agreeing with everything that other kid suggested because of his accent was a hilarious bit that stayed funny through the whole episode of American Dad. Also, I cracked up at his line, (paraphrased) "You're charming like Hugh Grant the actor, but stupid like Hugh Grant the person!" Scott Grimes nails Steve's manic exasperation perfectly every single time.
The unadvertised appearance (at least to my knowledge) of Cooter Berger was the highlight of 30 Rock for me. I never get tired of that name.
I have to disagree with your least favorite sketch on SNL -- I was laughing non-stop at Bobby Moynihan in that one. And the stereotypical awful movie dialogue between the others was pretty funny too.
As far as fake Bond titles go, the best one I've ever heard was coined by a friend of mine back in college, and I've never forgotten it: "Too Much is Never Enough".
Not that I'm a fan of her myself, but I'd kind of like to hear you sum up everything you disliked about Kristen Wiig sometime.
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong, but I think you're confusing Cecily Strong with Kate McKinnon, who has been on fire lately on SNL.
ReplyDeleteI'll join in on the OUAT commenting sometime soon, but wanted to say I absolutely LOVE "SagetTed" as a way to tell the characters apart. I gave up on the show many years ago but find the recaps worth checking in on....
ReplyDelete@Matt: I was really hoping for some jokes on Family Guy about how antiquated the Nielsen system is in this day and age, but sadly, we got nothing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was one of those areas rife with potential that got overlooked.
I've never forgotten it: "Too Much is Never Enough".
That is pretty awesome.
@Spithead: Not that I'm a fan of her myself, but I'd kind of like to hear you sum up everything you disliked about Kristen Wiig sometime.
In all honesty, a lot of it isn't her fault. Basically, she bugged me because she came to dominant the show, stealing time from other talented performers while performing some pretty unfunny bits. She just became so popular that the show relied on her for everything, and I enjoyed very little of what she did. She's clearly very talented and I've enjoyed her in other things, I just didn't like the way SNL pretty much became "The Kristen Wiig Show" during her tenure. Heck, it probably would have bugged me even if I'd loved all her work.
I also have a natural aversion to recurring sketches in general, because most of them just beat the same joke into the ground, which is fine if that joke is uproarisously funny, but very few are. And Kristen Wiig was the Queen of Recurring Sketches, few of which I found very amusing. Gilly? Penelope? The actress from Secret Word? That lady who couldn't keep a secret? None of them did much for me, and they got trotted out, again and again and again(the one recurring Wiig character I did like was the Target Lady, and that's just because she bore an uncanny resemblance to a women I worked with once).
So yeah. There's where my Kristen Wiig ire comes from. Again, I can't really blame her for the show recognizing a good thing and running it into the ground, but it doesn't change the fact that I found most her sketches unfunny, and that we got a lot them during her tenure.
@Ashlie: I could be wrong, but I think you're confusing Cecily Strong with Kate McKinnon, who has been on fire lately on SNL.
Not so much confusing as "typed the wrong name", but yeah, I meant Kate McKinnon. Cecily Strong hasn't really done much yet. Good catch. :)
@Mock: I absolutely LOVE "SagetTed" as a way to tell the characters apart
I can't take credit for that one; I picked it up somewhere on the internet, though I can't remember exactly where. Television Without Pity, Onion AV Club, Alan Sepinwall...one of those probably.
ReplyDeleteOnce Upon a Time: We Are Both
For some reason, I just got the (presumed) joke of Regina's mother being named Cora during this episode.
Interesting both that Mr. Gold's "please" clause no longer works and that he was seemingly unaware that he'd be unable to leave Storybrooke with his memories intact after the curse broke.
Neither Regina nor Mr. Gold knowing exactly how the curse, or more specifically the breaking of the curse, would work is one of my big three issues with the show right now. It's not the biggest of the big three — a number that I only just counted and reserve the right to adjust 8^) — but it still feels wrong. Regina acquired it from Mr. Gold, who either created or acquired it himself, and I suppose that one doesn't have to know the curse to the letter to enact it; however, Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin certainly seems like the kind of person who would insist on exactly that, and Regina is perhaps second only to him in that regard (which is why it surprised me that she hadn't known Mr. Gold remembered their previous lives).
All that said, I wondered at the end of the episode if Gold and Regina actually wouldn't lose their memories of Fairy-Tale Land due to some loophole since they never forgot them under the curse.
This was a pretty good episode overall, except for a couple of glitches. One is that I don't buy that all of those characters were going to leave, despite the herd mentality that the citizens of Storybrooke have shown in the past. The other? Forget clothes 'n' stuff... There's no way a kid Henry's age, no matter how mature, would leave all of his toys and books and things in his room at Regina's, never mind that he didn't even seem to pack clothes.
I'm not sure that I was prepared for the show to head in this direction — or, I guess, "these directions" — before the curse was broken and magic returned in the Season 1 finale. But I'll buy into it all for now just because it's so neat.
My other two of the big three issues with the show are those vernacular American English accents in Fairy-Tale Land, an ongoing peeve, and the fact that FTL seems to exist completely alongside the so-called real world, time not appearing to move at any slower a rate there (unless, I suppose, the curse affected that, syncing the dimensions after Emma was born) despite the fact that the incidents there that became legends in our world have to have occurred, in some cases, centuries ago.
ReplyDeleteHow I Met Your Mother: Nannies
the whole "search for a nanny" plot was a pretty basic sitcom trope, the kind of story every show that just introduced a new baby will eventually do
Agreed on both the predictability and Chris Elliot, no surprise... Ugh.
I'm also frustrated that Victoria looks to be a goner over such a mundane issue. Messy vs. neat can be a big deal in a relationship, no question, but if this is the breaking point then I kind-of wish we'd gotten more play on the near-hagiographic potential of them together before everyone got schooled in how the reality of being together is different from the fantasy or the honeymoon phase.
Revolution: The Plague Dogs
My two episodes behind is about to become three, and I'm not sure it's surmountable but I still avoid coverage of it just in case. Would you say it's better than the first couple of eps indicated, or still about the same?
The show is at least rising to the top of the bottom tier of my to-watch queue, since the Arrow pilot was even worse than I feared and I hear that 666 Fifth Avenue may be a goner before I ever get around to it.
Last Resort: Blue on Blue
I'm with you on pretty much everything here. All I really have to add is that the bartender, Dichen Lachman, was on Dollhouse — which I'm not sure you saw — and looks insanely like a Gelfling.
30 Rock: Governor Dunston
l did get a kick out of seeing Liz's sexual awakening through organization, but I'm also ready for the show to end and feel like maybe it should've wrapped up at least one season ago.
Parks and Recreation: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Oh my Lord... "K-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i... Did you see that bird?" was fantastic. And so was everything else that you call out in this episode. Everyone is just pitch perfect.
Saturday Night Live: Daniel Craig & Muse
I gather that Daniel Craig was not as well received amongst the Interweberati as he was in my household. The material wasn't the best, overall, as you said, but he was game. I loved the Bond Girls reel, as I'm a sucker for impressions; I think that both Cecily Strong and, especially, Kate McKinnon (who, like Ashley pointed out, is the one who did Ellen... so to speak) are standouts among the new featured players — heck, among the cast as a whole.
ReplyDelete@Teebore: Revolution is getting steadily better; the third episode was better than the second, and the fourth, if not better, was at least as good, and next week looks like it could be the "now you've hooked me" episode every show like this needs
Hmm... Good to hear — I guess; I'm happy for quality TV in the abstract but I sure don't "need" more to watch.
@Teebore: I'm less compelled to keep up with [Elementary] than I am other more serialized shows
I've realized that most, if not quite all, of the procedurals that I watch have either been around long enough that out of necessity they're often just as much about the character interactions or some semblance of a mythology and/or were created as a sort-of hybrid from the get-go. Castle, Bones for sure, and to some extent Hawaii Five-0 all fall into the latter category; CSI is a case of the former. None of which is to say that I don't fall behind on them regularly, just that unlike with a real straight-up case-of-the-week thing like Law and Order, which I've never actually watched, I definitely feel like I'm capable of being spoiled on something beyond just a certain episode's plot the longer I let them sit.
@Matt: As far as fake Bond titles go, the best one I've ever heard was coined by a friend of mine back in college, and I've never forgotten it: "Too Much is Never Enough".
That was one of MTV's slogans back in the day. I remember a promo that jump-cut from one artist to another (your Sting, your Billy Idol, your Cyndi Lauper maybe) repeating it.
Blam -- "That was one of MTV's slogans back in the day. I remember a promo that jump-cut from one artist to another (your Sting, your Billy Idol, your Cyndi Lauper maybe) repeating it."
ReplyDeleteHmm, interesting. I never watched MTV (like literally -- never have I watched it for any purpose except the occasional episode of Beavis & Butt-Head), but maybe my friend picked it up from there. And all this time I thought he was just clever!
@Blam: For some reason, I just got the (presumed) joke of Regina's mother being named Cora during this episode.
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten it yet, so don't feel bad. Care to enlighten?
however, Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin certainly seems like the kind of person who would insist on exactly that
Maybe we can chalk it up to them not knowing what would happen when the curse broke because, as far as either was concerned, it couldn't be broken? I'm not sure if that gels with all the Emma prophecy stuff or not, though.
All that said, I wondered at the end of the episode if Gold and Regina actually wouldn't lose their memories of Fairy-Tale Land due to some loophole since they never forgot them under the curse.
Hmm...good thinking, though I doubt Mr. Gold is willing to chance it.
One is that I don't buy that all of those characters were going to leave, despite the herd mentality that the citizens of Storybrooke have shown in the past.
Yeah, the extent to which EVERYONE seemed to be leaving was a bit much. A few people, sure, but that many? Maybe it's a good thing these people live in a monarchy...
But I'll buy into it all for now just because it's so neat.
Agreed.
I also agree with your other two pet peeves, incidentally, especially the first one, largely because it's more obvious than the second one, which I can usually ignore except when I decide to think about it...
I'm also frustrated that Victoria looks to be a goner over such a mundane issue.
As much as I think Victoria is being very poorly handled, if she is going to go, I *really* hope it's for a more significant reason than messiness.
All I really have to add is that the bartender, Dichen Lachman, was on Dollhouse — which I'm not sure you saw — and looks insanely like a Gelfling.
I did watch Dollhouse (well, most of the first season, save an episode that was unwatchable on my DVD and the DVD-only "Epitath One" which I just haven't gotten around to watching) and you're right: she does look like a Gelfing.
I'm happy for quality TV in the abstract but I sure don't "need" more to watch.
I know what you mean. I ended up passing on Arrow entirely despite the comics connection, in part because I'd heard bad things about the pilot, but mainly just because I'm already watching enough/behind on too many shows to add another one.
Hopefully my comments on Revolution were helpful. It's by no means a perfect show and it still has yet to fully click, but it has a lot of potential and I'm reasonably confidant it can attain at least some of it.
ReplyDelete@Teebore: Care to enlighten?
Apples. Which could just be my brain overthinking things.
I was surprised at how many positive reviews the Arrow pilot got from certain quarters, especially good things being said about the very parts that, to me, didn't work. Falcon Crest Meets Smallville might be interesting in concept if the level of execution was above what that formula suggested, but it ain't.
@Blam: Apples.
ReplyDeleteHa! Totally missed that, but now that you point it out, I can't not see it.
I was surprised at how many positive reviews the Arrow pilot got from certain quarters, especially good things being said about the very parts that, to me, didn't work.
What turned me off from trying it, ultimately, was some reviews and interviews I read that suggested the show was going to adhere to something similar to Smallville's "No Flights, No Tights" rule and downplay the superhero aspect of Green Arrow.
Since I spent most of the first half dozen or so seasons of Smallville wishing they'd be more willing to embrace the comic book stuff (as well as other things...), I didn't feel like watching another show that seemed embarrassed of its comic book roots and actively tried to distance itself from them.